Animal marking tool



March 29, 1932. o. KER 1,851,672 Y ANIMAL MARKING TOOL Filed May 3, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Mar. 29, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT orifice i JOHN ORMOND KER, or OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR T HARRY RETGHUM,

or LUZERNE, NEW YORK i ANIMAL MARKING TOOL Application filed May 3, 1929. Serial No. 360,189.

This invention relates to improvements in animal marking tools generally and more particularly to that class of marking tool for tatooing and branding livestock.

Theobjects of the invention are to provide a light durable and handy tool of this character for marking animals such as cattle, sheep, hogs, horses, birds and the like by tatooing an identification mark thereon.

An essential objects of the invention is to provide a tool of this class with interchangeable tatoo carrying blocks so constructed that blocks can be quickly changed and Ireadilysecured therein for use, and whereby friction and consequent wear and tear without clogging of the blocks is completely avoided. In other words, my improved tool is particularly adapted for speed and efli'ciency in the marking of live stock.

I am aware that animal marking tools or instruments carrying tatoo type blocks are at present in use, the blocks being slidably fitted longitudinally or transversely and being retained by a clamping screw, or the like or are arranged in holes and held by a cotter pin. Both being manually operated to release or retain the blocks entailing loss of time and, as above mentioned, wear and tear. With my improved tool, the clamping or retaining screw or cotter pin are eliminated, and the blocks collectively and selectively retained rigid or released.

The novel features of the invention comprise a character holder adapted to carry type or tatoo blocks and formedwith a continuous slot adapted to house a locking plate or member-'swingingly mounted therein slots in the blocks or registering with said-continuous slot, whereby on said member being swung outwardly, the blocks are disengaged and re leased, means associated with the slot and locking member for automatically locking the latter when swung inwardly. V

Referring now to the drawings in which, like numerals of reference, indicate corresponding parts in each figure, and in which Fig. 1 is an enlarged perspective View of the tool or instrument as a whole in the form adapted for brand-tatooing animals on the body.

Fig. 2 is an underside View of the character holder with type carrying blocks.

Fig. 3 is a similar viewwith the blocks removed. 1 Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the char acterholder, with the blocks removed and showing the locking member for the blocks. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a sectionon line 6-6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a block with slotted stem for engagement with looking member. i V i Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a slightly modified form of the instrument or tool for ta-tooing the ear of an animal and marking birds. 1 w I Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which an eXampleof my invention is disclosed, A indicates the tool as a whole (Fig. 1) for placing an identification mark on the body and particularly the hip of live stock, and comprising a bar 10 provided with a handle 11 at its outer end and bent ad-. jacent the opposite end to form a fiat portion 12 to which is secured in any well known manner and preferably integral therewith, a character holder 13 consisting of a metal block formed with a series of spaced circular openings 14, adapted to engage with the stems 15, see Fig. 7 of type blocks 16. The underside of these blocks being former with bosses 17 for engagement with recesses 18in theptace 19 of the holder 13, whereby the correct position of the blocks 16 in theholder 13 is ma-inta-ined. The blocks 16 are provided, asxhere shown, on their front faces with tatoo needles 20 of known construction and hereinafter more fully referred to.

Goming now to the essential and novel features-of the invention, theho-lder 13 is formed slots 25 formed in the stems of the blocks 16, so that when the locking member or plate 22 is swung inwardly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8 to engage with the slot 21, it will also engage the slots 25 to rigidly retain the blocks within the holder, ready for action. ,Simultaneously with this operation the plate 22 is automatically locked by means of a -pin 26 sunk, as at 27, in the holder and spring pressed, by means of a spring'plate 28 on the top of the holder and engaging with thebottom of the pin. The plate 28 is retained in positionlby a'screw 29 and causes the pin 26 2 to protrude slightly within the slot 21 and to automatically engage with a recess 30 in the underside of thelocking member when the latter is moved inwardly to lock same in engagement with the type blocks. j In Fig. 8 a form of tool is shown for tatooing the ear of an animal or marking poultry and birds comprising handle members-31-and 32 pivoted as-at 33 and provided with coil-spring 34. Thesemembers are formed with jaws 35 and 36 respectively,

the-jaw 35'terminating in a character holder 37 as previously fully described, while the jaw 36 terminates in a plate portion 38 registe'ring with the holder 37 From the foregoing,the operation of my improved tool or instrument for marking live stock and birds will be readily understood. In the form,'as disclosed in Fig. '1, the number,'name or mark to be transferred to the hip'or body of'an animal, is formed by selecting the type or tatoo blocks carrying the characters that make up the mark; These blocks, after the lockingplate 22 has been swung outwardly, are then inserted in the openings 14 of the holder 13 or 3?, care being taken that the bosses 17 engage with the recess'es 18 associated with the openings 14 andwhereby the correct position, as to printing'and fitting of the blocks 15, within the holder is accurately accomplished.

The slots 25 in the blocks will now be in alignment with one another and register with the slot 21 inthe holder within which is swingingly mounted the locking member 22,

which is then swung inwardly to engage with the slot 21 and with the slots 25 in the individual blocks thereby securely retaining them in position. At the same time the pin 26 engages with the member 22 to lock it. To quickly and efiiciently release or change the blocks, it is only necessary to press the protruding end 24 of the locking member when it will be released and drop out immediately leaving the holder ready for a fresh supply. '70

Furthermore, the locking member 22 can be operated to release only one or more of the blocks while retaining the remainder. In other words, the blocks may be selectively or collectively released by the locking plate. Further means for indicating that the blocks are correctly arranged in the holder, are the guide lugs 39 on one side thereof, which must be an alignment on one side to ensure this result. H

V The modified form as disclosed in Fig. 8 is placed on the inside of the animals ear and compressed, and in the case of poultry and birds on a portion of the skin.

Tattoo ink is thoroughly smeared over the puncture made by the needles to provide a clear distinct mark. As the puncturesheal, the skin grows over the tattoo ink leaving the mark permanent inside the animalsear or on the body thereof.

While a specific embodiment of this inventionis herein shown and described, it should be clearly understood that the detailed parts in the preferred forms, and also that the pre- 1. A tattoo marker for animals and thelike comprising a pair of pivotally connected jaw members with spring actuated handles,

the ends of the jaws being formed with plate portions registering with oneanother, one of said portions being provided with a series of spaced holes, needle carrying blocks formed with slotted stems for detachable engagement with said portion, a continuous slot in said portion communicating with and common to said blocks, a locking memberor bar swingingly mounted in said slot and protruding longtudinally therefrom means and. adapted when swung inwardly to engage with the blocks to retain them in position and when swung outwardly to release said blocks, means for automatically locking the bar in operative engagement with the blocksand manually operable means for unlocking said bar, means in the for aligning the blocks.

2. In atattoo marker for animals and the like of the character described, the combination with a pair of pivotallyconnected jaw members formed with T-shaped' ends and plate portion having in one of said ends a seriesof openings and common to saidv openings a longitudinal- 1y extending slot," a locking bar pivotally with handling hand.

JOHN ORMOND KER. 

